The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-08-03
What Public Printer Bsnedics Has D1ns for
Veterans and Their Families.
A Large Per Cent Of the Employees Of the
Office Members Of the G. A. R.
What iha Records Of the Department Show
Under Republican Administration.
Decision of Assistant Secretary Maynard In
Regard to the Classification of Leaf
TObacc0-Penkions.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1-Pablic Printer
Benedict has neen savagely attacked By
some of the Republican newspapers of
late because it is alleged that he has been
turning out ex Union soldiers by the
wholesale.
The fact is" said Mr.. Benedict when
bis attention was called to the attacks upon
him, and 1t can be verified by inquiry
among the employees and an examination
of the rolls, "that there are more veteran
soldiers, their widows and children en-
ployed in the ofhce today than ever before
in its history. A large percent OF the
foremen are soldiers and members of the
G. A. r. OF the 1850 in the Office 500
are honors bly, discharged soldiers and their
widows and children. There has not only
been an increase OF the number of this
class, but an increase of the number who
have seen active service in the field. There
are nineteen watchmen employed in the
building. and in those places the old
soldiers can well be employed. When 1
took charge OF the Office four of these
positions were filed by old veterans, now
there are fourteen of them.
have discharged soldiers from my Of
fee. have discharged some because they
are unworthy of holding place in the
printing Office fer the reason of their bad
habits. Others have failed TO pay their
debts. A few have loaned money in the
were Objectionable and uncompanionable
among their fellow craftsmen, and some
have sought to embsIrass my administra-
iton. / have discharged a few for the
reason that their appointments were
purely political and as a reward for party
service. They used their time in the Of
fee in party work aud in slanderiug Dem
ocratic veteran soldiers and maliciouslY
misstating my own action and course, both
by voice and letter. Some of these men
had: been discharged before for cause
of q like nature, but had, been re-
stored through political influence.
They will now remain our dur
ing my administration. For the first time
in the history of the Office a census has
been taken of all employees to learn
whether they have the right to claim pro.
lection under the statute relating to sol
diers, their widows and children. The
records of the Office show that heretofore
no attention was given TO Democratic vet
eran soldiers in the matter OF appointments
or protection under the statute. The Re-
publican veterans whe refused to go home
and vote were punished by being assigned
70 work that caused them great physical
suffering and one-legged veteran who
declined to vote was given work that re-
quired him to stand all day long, aud, when
asked to be relieved, he was told that when
he had attended to his political
duties he would be given an easier
position. Many were appointed on con-
sideration that they move from the District
into Maryland, so as TO become voters. A
daughter of a Democratic veteran soldier
was removed because her father hoisted a
Hancock rooster in bis yard. Now, in the
matter of discharged employees, it is but
fair to state that the force of the office is
about % per cent. less than when took
charge OF it, and that OF the $50 displaced
their places have not been filled by new
appointees, and with this reduction of
force the Office is daily executing 20 per
cent. more work than it ever turned out
before, and dong it in better manner and
with greater increase of comfort to the en-
ployes, whose interest we are ever on the
look out for. They have better and more
frequent pay than ever before.